Method and apparatus of forming concrete pots



C. G. BEWLEY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS 0F FORMING CONCRETE POT S.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, I920.

INVENTOR' \flmef Esrry WW 6 ATTORNEY m 11 M R mfi f m 6 Z/ 4, a fi 76 L;A. .A 5 5% 1 .?4

ounce srra CLAUDE G. BEWLEY, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, AssIeNoR T0 sroxannCONCRETE FLOWER roar MACHINE co. 11m, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

METHOD AND APPARATUS OF FORMING CONCRETEJPOTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed. March 15, 1920, Serial No. 365,732.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that CLAUDE G. BEWLEY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at nism; and No. 1,185,968,issued June 6, 1916,

for improvement in machine for molding plastic articles.

In all my prior devices, and in all devices now known to me, therotating male and female members have been disposed in an uprightposition, the female member being the supporting mold member and beingthat member to which driving power is applied to rotate the male andfemale members in unison. In this class of devices, it is necessary tofirst introduce the material for forming the bottom of the pot, beforethe male members are introduced or lowered into position. Subsequently,the wall of the pot is tamped and formed. This method requires apractically definite initial delivery of a prescribed quantity ofmaterial for forming the bottom of the pot, dependent upon the size ofthe pot to be formed. F urthermore, I have found in practice that thebottom of the pot, as regards its exterior surface, is not as smoothlyfinishedas is de sired in some cases, likewise the rims are rough.

Many other'advantages and also a great simplification together withmaterial in crease in speed and efficiency have all resulted from theuse of my present invention wherein it is a special feature to reversethe positions of-the rotatingmembers from an upright to an invertedposition. Thus in my present method and mechanism, the wall of the potis first formed, and lastly, the bottom is formed.

It is a feature of my present invention to apply driving power to themale member, and to provide the'latter and the female member with meansfor supportingly centering the female member on the male memher in sucha manner as to truly concentrically space the female member with respecttothe male member, the intervening space bemg the pot wall formingspace. It is a feature of this invention to provide a female memberwhich is open at both ends, the lowermost end being closed by itssupportmg engagement with the male member, thus the finished productadheres to the female member and is removedfrom the male member when thefemale member is taken off from the former. This applies to pots oflight weight and relatively small size. I

To facilitate removal of the product where the latter is relativelyheavy, and of large size, it is a feature of my invention to provide aproduct liftingring whereby after the female member is removed with theproduct thereon, the product can be lifted off from the male moldwithout any danger of disintegration. In this connection, it is aspecial feature of my invention to so construct the members and thelifting ring that the latter will not only be truly centered in positionwhen mounted on the male mold, but will also truly center the femalemold and will further function to close the bottom of the interveningspace between the molds and form a ledge against which the edge of thewall to be formed may rest.

My invention has to dowith an improved means for finishing or levelingoff the material forming the pot bottom, together with means for formingand shaping said bottom in such a manner that the latter will not onlybe effectively tamped but will have no ridge or bead forming the line ofdemarkation between the bottom andthe wall of the pot as regards theexterior thereof.

As a method, my invention consists in first forming the wall of the potwhile the mold is rotating and lastly finishing the bottom of the potwhile the latter is in a state of movement.

Other features and objects of my invention will be more fully describedin connection with the accompanying drawing and will be .moreparticularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1, is a view in front elevation of my improved potmolding machine with parts in section.

Fig,- 2, is a. view partly in section and partly in elevation lookingfrom the right of Fig. 1, these two views showing the feeding, tampingand leveling mechanism in position.

Fig. 3, is a view in front elevation, partly in section, with saidmechanism withdrawn, and with the bottom forming mechanism in position.

F ig. 4, is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing themanner in which the product lifting ring is employed for molds ofrelatively large size.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent figures of the drawing.

I have fragmentally shown portions of the frame 1, sufliciently todistinguish between the movable and stationary parts as my inventiondoes not relate to the frame structure. A suitable driven shaft 2 isjournaled in any desired manner to rotate about a vertical fixed axisand on shaft 2 is rigidly mounted a male member 3, in an invertedposition. The uppermost end of the member 3, designated at 4, is the potbottom forming end, and the lowermost end 5 is provided with a ledge orflange to support the normally top edge of the pot to be formed. Aprotuberance 6, is provided on the end 4, for coaction with an elementto be described, for forming the usual hole in the bottom of the potwhen the machine is used for making flower pots. It will be seen thatthe wall 7 of the male member 3 is a straight tapering wall, the malemember being in the form of a truncated cone.

The female member is designated at 8, and the same is inverted whendisposed in an operative position and has an open upper end 9 and anopen lower end 10, the latter being suitably shouldered at 11 so thatthe female member will be truly centered on the flange 5 in exactconcentric relation with the male member. The female member is providedwith a recessed portion 12 for forming the usual shoulder on a flowerpot and the upper portion is suitably beveled at 13, to guide a formerinto position as will presently appear.

I will next refer to a feeding and tamping mechanism which I am notclaiming specifically in this case, and which I have briefly shown, saidmechanism being very similar to that shown in my previously idenblock 19is spring controlled.

shown in said figure, abreast of the open top of the members Or into aretracted position leaving the top of the molds absolutely free andaccessible, as far as said mechanism is concerned, as shown in Fig. 3,for operation of the forming mechanism. The material is delivered downthe trough 17 and the tamping bar 18 extends through the open top of thefemale member and tamps the wall of the pot as the members rotate inunison. This tamping operation continues until the wall is formed up tothe level of the top 4 of the male member 3.

The material is delivered continuously in a manner to 'fill up thefemale member 8 and cover the top 4, subsequent to completion of thewall.

I will next describe a pressing and leveling means which is not shown inmy prior patents and which is a special feature of this invention.

This pressing and leveling means is illustrated in the form of a block19 which in one dimension, is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the otherdimension being shown in Fig. 1. A slight space 20 remains between theleft handside of the block 19 and the trough 17 for delivery of materialto fill space above member 8 after the wall of the pot has been formed.A space 21 provides clearance from the tamping bar 18. This leveling Arod 22 mounted on wall 15 has a spring 23 interposed between a lug 24,on said block 19, and a washer 25 to exert pressure on said block topress down the leveled material. This rod 22 will be of suflicientlength so that this leveling block, when the wall of the pot is beingformed, can be lifted up and turned laterally so that its bottom 26 willbe supported on the edge 27 of frame 16, thereby permitting a free flowof material into the members. After the wall is formed, and eitherbefore or after the material is delivered for forming the bottom of thepot, this block 19 can be adjusted into the position shown in Fig. 2, sothat it will function to press and level off the material performing thepot bottom on a level with the top edge 28, of mold 8, or approximatelyso. In the present showing, the bottom face 26 projects slightly intothe member 8 to press and level off the material approximately at thelower edge of the beveled portion 13. After the pot wall has been formedand the pot bottom has been leveled off, then the entire mechanism onframe 14 shifted out of position to the right of Fig. 2 leaving the topof member 8 entirely free and unobstructed.

I will next describe the novel means of forming the pot bottom, which isthe last forming step.

A vertically shiftable rod 29 is journaled in suitable bearings 30 and acam 31, mounted on shaft 32, may serve to shift said rod 29 from thelower position shown in Fig. 3 to the upper position shown in Fig. 1. Acollar 33, on said rod 29, may be connected with a spring 34 which islikewise suitably connected with the frame of the machine. This springresists upward shifting movement of rod 29, and as shown, is soconnected that it will normally act to rotate rod 29 in the direction ofthe arrows shown. A cam 35, on rod 29, has a flattened face 36 which isadapted to coact with a fixed lug 37 to hold the rod 29 in the positionshown in Fig. 1. An arm 38 is mounted on the top of said rod 29 and whensaid arm is thrown into an operative position it descends between and isretained in position by the forked members 39 and 40 of a bifurcatedplate 41. The portion 39 is somewhat shorter than the portion 40 topermit the bar 38 to readily descend. therebetween. The precisemechanism for permitting said bar 38 to swing about the rod 29, as anaxis. is not essential to my invention and I do not wish to be limitedthereto except as the claims may import, as many other specific ways ofcontrolling said bar 38 may be devised. The mechanism shown, holds thebar 38 either in inoperative or operative positions and also functionsto normally actuate the bar 38 from an inoperative to an operativeposition. As a matter of fact, this feature of my invention would beentirely operative if the arm 38 were wholly manually actuated althoughthe mechanism employed facilitates a more rapid operation.

A former 42 is secured in arm 38, adjustably, by means of a screw 43,and the former 42 has a diameter closely fitting the open beveled end 13of the member 8. As will be clearly seen by reference to Fig. 3, thelower face of the former 42 merges with the top of the inner wallsurface of the member 8 in such a manner as to insure continuity of theexterior of the pot where the wall joins the bottom in a sharp corner,thereby avoiding the formation of a bead or ragged ridge. This formerhas a cavity 44, coacting with protuberance 6 to form a hole in thebottom of the pot and the configuration of the face 45 of the former 42is such as to impart a shoulder on the bottom of the pot, or in otherwords, to cause the perforated portion of the pot to be slightlyelevated with respect to the supporting portion of the pot, as is commonin flower pots.

Now it will be seen that the former 42 constitutes non-rotative meansfor engagement with the material of the pot bottom to smooth and formthe same flush with the exterior pot wall while the members arerotating. However, I find in practice that the best results are obtainedby tamping the material which is designed to form the bottom of the potas this not only affords a more finished product but also a moreserviceable one. Therefore, I provide the former 42 with a sleeve 46 inwhich a relatively heavy tamping bar 47 is slidably disposed. Therefore,while the former 42 is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the operatorwill grasp the bar 47 and by a series of up and down movements acting inthe manner of a hammer, a certain compression will be im- 1parted to thebottom forming material therey compactly tamping the same. The bar 38isof sufiicient length to yield to the slight movement necessary to theformer 42 for the performance of this function.

After the completed product has been formed, the former 42 will be swungback to the position shown in Fig. 1, the female member will be liftedoff from the male member and the product will cling to the interior ofthe female member. The female member will then be placed upon a dryingrack and slightly tapped tofrelease the product. This is the operationwhere relatively small pots of approximately light weight are formed. Inthe case of large and heavy pots, a mold member 48 will have a flange49, as shown in Fig. 4. A product lifting ring 50 willbe mounted uponflange 49 and centered on mold member 48 by engagement with the surface51. Ring 50 will have an elevated annular ridge 52. The female mold 53will seat on said ridge and will thereby be concentrically centered withrespect to the male member. Furthermore, it will be seen thatthe ring 50closes the lowermost space between the members so that after the productis formed, it will rest upon the ring 50. It will now be clear how thefemale member 53 may be lifted off from the finished product to laterpermit the product itself to be lifted off from the male member 48 bythe ring 50. If desired, the ring 50 may be lifted off from the malemember 48 together with the female member 53 and the latter may besubsequently removed.

Attention is called to the fact, and 1t 1s a feature of this invention,that the frame 16, because of the fact that it extends across the top ofthe mold, in one direction, functions to level off the loose material.The block 19, which also functions to a certain extent as a leveler,additionally functions to press down on the leveled material, by reasonof the spring 23, thereby lnsurlng the exact amount of material forforming the bottom of the pot. I have found in practice that by the useof this mechanism, the pots are very accurately of uniform welght.Therefore, after the former 42 has functioned, the completed articlewill not only have the exact thickness of bottom, but the previouslyprepared material for the bottom will have been proportioned to permitthe former 42 to very accurately function. It willreadily'be seen thatif'there was a too great thickness of material, then the former 42 wouldnot reach the lower terminal of the bevel 13, but with just the rightamount of material, the former will reach this point and consequentlythe juncture of the wall and the bottom will be a sharp and uniformangle.

7 It will be understood that the form shown in Fig. 4: is not inanysense a modified form since this form is merely used for the heavierproducts, in the same machine. The only reason why it is not used inconnection with the small product, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is becausethe small product will adhere to the female member 8 when the latter istaken off from the male member 3.

It is believed that my improved method and apparatus will be clearlyunderstood from the foregoing description, and I do not wish to belimited except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim 1. In a machine for molding concrete or like pots in an invertedposition,inverted male and femalemold members rotatable in unison,mechanism for delivering the material between said members, means forforming the wall of the pot while said members are rotating, and meansfor forming the bottom of the pot.

2. In a machine for molding concrete pots, inverted male and female moldmembers rotatable in unison, mechanism extending between said membersfor first forming the wall of the pot, and means for forming the bottomof the pot after the wall has been formed.

3. In a machine for molding concrete or like pots in an invertedposition, male and female members rotatable in unison, and meanscoacting with the top of the male member for forming the bottom of thepot.

41. In a machine for molding concrete or like pots in an invertedposition, male and female members rotatable in unison and the femalemember having an open top, means for feeding the material through saidopen top to said members, means extending through said open top andbetween said members to form the wall of the pot, and means extendingthrough said open top and coacting with the upper end of the male memberto form the bottom of the pot.

5. In a machine for molding concrete or like pots in an invertedposition, male and female members rotatable in unison, and

' means coacting with the top of the male member for forming the bottomof the pot, said means having a hammering device for compacting andsmoothin or finishing the bottom face of the pot while the members arerotating.

6. In a machine for molding concrete or like pots in an invertedposition, male and female members rotatable in unison, and

non-rotating means coacting with the top of the male member for formingthe bottom of the pot while the members are rotating.

7. In a machine for molding concrete or like pots, inverted male andfemale members, means for feeding material between said members tofirstform the wall of the pot While the members are rotating, and means forforming the bottom of the pot after the wall has been formed and whilethe members are rotating.

8. A machine for molding concrete or like pots, including an invertedcircular male member having a supporting flange, an inverted circularfemale member adapted to be supported on said male member, and a liftingring interposed between said flange and said female member to facilitatelifting the molded product and the female member off from the malemember.

9. A machine for molding concrete or like pots, comprsing incombination, an inverted circular male mold member having a supportingflange, an inverted circular female mold member telescoping said malemember in spaced relation thereto, and a product lifting ring interposedbetween said flange and female member and closing the space between saidmemberswhereby said female member and the molded product may be elevatedolf from the male member on said ring.

ing inverted male and female mold members and the uppermost end of thefemale member being open, combined feeding and tamping mechanism movableover said open end to deliver and tamp material between said member andmovable off from said members after the same have been filled, andbottom finishing means movable over said open end and coacting with theuppermost end of said male member to form and finish the bottom of thepot.

11. A machine for making concrete or like pots, comprising incombination, rotating male and female mold members and the uppermost endof the female member being open, means for feeding the material throughsaid open end for delivery between said members, and a leveler forleveling off the material to form the bottom of the p 12. A machine formaking concrete or like pots, comprising in combination, rotating maleand female mold members and the uppermost end of the female member beingopen, feeding mechanism for delivering material through said open end,and a leveling block resiliently mounted on said feeding mechanism andmovable into a leveling position with respect to the material formingthe bottom of the pot.

13. The herein described method of molding concrete or like pots, whichconsists, in first filling and tamping the wall forming mold space whilethe mold members are rotating, and lastly filling the pot bottom formingspace, and then shaping and finishing the pot bottom.

14. The herein described method of molding concrete or like pots in aninverted position, which consists, in first forming the wall of the potwhile the-mold members are rotating, then filling in the bottom formingmold space, and lastly finishing the pot bottom.

15. A machine for molding concrete or like pots, comprising incombination, circular male and female mold members inverted androtatable, a product lifting ring centered on said male member andclosing the wall forming space between said mem bers at the lowerportion thereof, said ring having means for centering the female memberwith respect to the male mold, whereby, the female mold may be liftedoff with the product from the male member by said ring.

16. A machine for molding concrete or like pots, comprising incombination, inverted rotating male and female mold members and thefemale member being open at the top, means for leveling off the concreteto form the bottom of the pot, and pressure means for imparting pressureto the concrete while the same is being leveled off.

ing male and female mold members and the latter being open at the topand having a beveled guiding edge, said bevel merging with the interiorwall of the female member at the top thereof, and a former for tampingand finishing the bottom forming material and coacting with said guidingedge for entrance into tamping and forming relation with said femalemember.

18. A machine for molding concrete pots, comprising in combination,inverted rotating male and female mold members and the latter being openat the top, said female member having a beveled edge at the terminal ofits interior wall, mechanism for leveling and pressing the pot bottomforming material to approximately the level of said edge, and a formercoacting with said edge to form the bottom of the pot, whereby theexterior of the bottom and the wall will be free from F beads or ridges.

19. In a machine for molding concrete or like pots, inverted male andfemale mold members, and means for rotating said members, means fortamping the wall and means for shaping the bottom as the wall and bottomof the pot is being formed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I hereby afiix bysignature.

CLAUDE G. BEWLEY.

